Satiation devices and methods

• US 6,845,776 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Synecor LLC
• Inventors: Williams, Michael S., Glenn, Richard A., Stack, Richard S., Athas, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/118,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.1, 623/11.11, 623/23.64, 623/23.65, 600/37, 606213-217, 606/139, 606/192
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/044 Oesophagi or esophagi or gullets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/045 Stomach, intestines
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/8483 Barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0039 differing in diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0076 preventing normal digestion, e.g. Bariatric or gastric sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0089 Instruments for placement or removal

Abstract

A device for inducing weight loss in a patient includes a tubular prosthesis positionable at the gastro-esophageal junction region, preferably below the z-line. In a method for inducing weight loss, the prosthesis is placed such that an opening at its proximal end receives masticated food from the esophagus, and such that the masticated food passes through the pouch and into the stomach via an opening in its distal end.

Claims

1. A method for inducing weight loss in patient, comprising the steps of:

providing a pouch having a proximal opening and a distal opening;

positioning at least a portion of the pouch within the stomach of a patient;

retaining the proximal portion of the pouch within the gastro-esophageal junction region such that the proximal opening receives food from the esophagus and such that the distal opening is positioned within the stomach; and

causing food ingested by the patient to flow from the esophagus to the proximal opening, and out the distal opening into the stomach.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the proximal opening as a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the distal opening.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pouch has an approximate funnel shape.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes securing the proximal portion to tissue below the Z-line of the gastro-esophageal junction region.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes securing the proximal portion to tissue above the Z-line of the gastro-esophageal junction region.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes securing the proximal portion to tissue using sutures.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes securing the proximal portion to tissue using clips.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes securing the proximal portion to tissue using biological adhesive.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch includes a neck and wherein the proximal opening is formed in the neck.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the retaining step includes securing the neck within the esophagus.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch is expandable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and wherein the method includes passing the pouch into the stomach in the collapsed position, and expanding the pouch to the expanded position.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the pouch is self-expandable from the collapsed to the expanded position.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning step includes extending a sheath through a patient'"'"'s esophagus to the gastro-esophageal junction region, and passing the pouch though the sheath and into the stomach.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the passing step includes pushing the pouch through the sheath using a pushing tool.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning step includes grasping the pouch using jaw members of a grasper, inserting a sheath through a patient'"'"'s esophagus to the gastro-esophageal junction region, and carrying the pouch through the sheath and into the stomach using the grasper.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the distal opening has a diameter and wherein the method includes the step of adjusting the diameter of the distal opening.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the adjusting step is performed prior to the retaining step.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the adjusting step is performed after the retaining step.

19. The method of claim 1, further including the step of leaving the pouch within the stomach for a desired period of time, and then removing the pouch from the stomach.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the removing step includes passing a sheath through the esophagus, grasping the pouch using a grasping device extended through the sheath, and withdrawing the pouch into the sheath.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the removing step further includes clipping sutures extending between the sheath and the stomach prior to withdrawing the pouch.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the distal opening limits passage of food from the esophagus into the stomach.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes the step of forming at least one plication in tissue of the gastro-esophageal junction region, and coupling the pouch to the plication.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes the step of coupling a ring to tissue of the gastro-esophageal junction region, and coupling the pouch to the ring.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the retaining step includes the step of forming at least one plication in tissue of the gastro-esophageal junction region, coupling a ring to the plication, and coupling the pouch to the ring.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch forms a reservoir having a volume of approximately 2-300 cc.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch forms a reservoir having a volume of approximately 10-30 cc.